CARRERA, Jose Miguel (Carrera)

Carrera (Carrera), Jose Miguel (15.10.1785, Santiago - 4/9/1821, Mendoza, Argentina), political and military leader of Chile. From a wealthy family. Since 1806 he lived in Spain, where he studied commercial business, took part in the struggle against the Spanish people against the French occupation. In 1810, with the beginning of the war for the independence of Spanish colonies in America, returned to Chile. In 1811 a military coup, dissolved the congress and established a dictatorship, believing it the only means of effective resistance to the royalists and 'moderate' elements (not divided the radical action). Carrera has undertaken several activities aimed at strengthening the position of patriotic liberation movement (in 1812 introduced a constitution, opened a national institute, national libraries, began publication of the first Chilean newspaper 'Aurora'). However, the dictatorship of the Carrera. provoked fierce resistance from the 'moderate', which weakened the camp patriots. After the defeat of the patriots in the Battle of Rancagua (1814) Carrera left the country.